(ADULT) SIMBA: A male lion in his late teens – early 30’s. Male actor/singer to play the African lion, Simba. This actor must have charm and an urban sensibility as well as a strong pop/rock singing voice. Should be a high baritone/tenor and able to sing to an “E5”. (Range: B3 – E5) Must be in excellent physical condition and dance and/or move very well. Hoping to be as tall or taller than the actress cast as Older Nala.

SCENES:

Simba and Nala Simba and Rafiki

SONG:

“Endless Night” – Measures 28-49

“Hakuna Matata” – Measures 92-107 (ONLY IF THERE IS TIME!)

Check out YouTube “Endless Night”

SIMBA and NALA – Nala tries to convince Simba he is King

[The air grew cool and SIMBA and NALA strolled to a hilltop and watched the sun set.]

SIMBA [Very “up.”] Isn't this a great place?

NALA It is beautiful.

SIMBA And there’s lots more you haven’t seen yet.

NALA Simba, I don't understand. You've been alive all this time. Why didn't you come back to Pride Rock?

SIMBA [Very casual.] And leave paradise?

NALA We needed you! I needed you.

SIMBA Well, I needed to... get out on my own. Live my own life. And I did! And it's great!

[He sounds almost as if trying to convince himself as well as NALA. NALA decides to tell SIMBA how SCAR and his HYENA hoodlums have laid waste to the Pridelands.]

NALA

Simba, Scar let the hyenas take over the Pride Lands.

SIMBA [The worst thing he can imagine. Shock. Let it sink in.] What?!

NALA Everything's destroyed. There's no food! Nno water. If we go back together, we can do something about it.

SIMBA I can't go back.

[SIMBA starts to exit. NALA goes to him.]

NALA (Louder.)

Why?

SIMBA You wouldn't understand.

NALA What wouldn't I understand?

SIMBA (Hastily.)

No, no, no... It doesn't matter. Hakuna Matata.

NALA (Confused.)

What?!

SIMBA Hakuna MATATA. It's something that I learned out here. Look, sometimes bad things happen...

NALA (Interrupting.)

Simba!

SIMBA (Driving the point home, irritated.)

...And there's nothing you can do about it. So why worry?

(SIMBA turns away from NALA, but NALA walks back up to him. She couldn’t understand how MUFASA’s son would turn his back on his Pride.)

NALA

What’s happened to you? You’re not the Simba I remember.

SIMBA You’re right! I’m not. Are you satisfied?!?!

NALA No. Just disappointed.

SIMBA You know, you’re beginning to sound like my father.

(Walking away again.)

NALA Well, good! At least one of us does!

(SIMBA is obviously cut by the comment about his father; he tears into NALA with his words.)

SIMBA

(Angry.) Listen, you think you can just show up here and tell me how to live my life?! You don't even know what really happened! [SIMBA turns and leaves.]

NALA (Pleading.)

I would if you would just tell me!

SIMBA Forget it!

NALA (NALA storms off.)

Fine! (They exit in opposite directions.)

SIMBA and RAFIKI - REFLECTING POOL

[Night has fully set in. SIMBA couldn’t sleep. Confused by the new NALA brought kept going around in his head. He decided a walk might make him drowsy so he sought solitude and guidance that the stars might bring. The jungle was unusually quiet. He strolled for a few minutes, then stretched out on a flat rock and gazed at the sky. It was packed with stars.)

SIMBA

Aw, she's wrong. I can't go back. What would it prove, anyway? It won't change anything. You can't change the past.

[SIMBA sits quietly. Soon his reverie is interrupted by an odd little tune. He couldn’t tell where it was coming from, but something about the words was sad and disturbing.]

RAFIKI

[Offstage] ASANTE SANA! SQUASH BANANA! WE WE NUGU! MI MI APANA!1

(SIMBA is slightly annoyed by the chant and moves away in search of solitude. RAFIKI, elated by the sight of SIMBA, follows him. SIMBA lies down. RAFIKI, now in a nearby tree, starts his chant again.)

ASANTE SANA! SQUASH BANANA! WE WE NUGU! MI MI APANA!

SIMBA

Come on, will you cut it out?

(RAFIKI, laughing, is doing random acrobatics in the trees nearby.)

RAFIKI Can't cut it out. It'll grow right back!

(Laughs. SIMBA starts walking away. RAFIKI follows.)

SIMBA Creepy little monkey. QUIET!

RAFIKI (Quietly.)

ASANTE SANA! SQUASH BANANA!

1 This is a Swahili playground rhyme which translates to 'Thank you very much (squash banana), you're a baboon and I'm not!' ... [T]he chant was heard by the filmmakers on their research trip to Kenya.

SIMBA Would you stop following me?

RAFIKI (High-pitched.)

Ohhhhhhhhhhh…

(Jabbering quietly, then sings loudly.) ASANTE SANA! SQUASH BANANA!

SIMBA

Who are you?

RAFIKI (Approaches SIMBA, right in his face.)

The question is: Whooo... are you?

SIMBA (Startled, then sighing.)

I thought I knew. Now I'm not so sure.

RAFIKI Well, I do know who you are. Shh. Come here. It's a secret.

(She pulls SIMBA'S head over to whisper into his ear. She starts her chant into SIMBA'S ear.)

ASANTE SANA! SQUASH BANANA! WE WE NUGU! MI MI APANA!

SIMBA

Enough already! What's that supposed to mean, anyway?

RAFIKI It means you are a baboon, and I am not.

(RAFIKI laughs.)

SIMBA (Moving away.)

I think... you're a little confused. [SIMBA begins to exit. RAFIKI’s finger points SIMBA in the nose.]

RAFIKI Wrong! I'm not the one who's confused; you don't even know who you are.

SIMBA (Irritated, sarcastic.)

Oh, and I suppose you know?

RAFIKI Sure do; you're Mufasa's boy.

[SIMBA is in shock, hardly believing what he just heard. The old baboon knew his father? RAFIKI scoots away. Now SIMBA had to stop her before she got away.]

SIMBA

You knew my father?

RAFIKI CORRECTIONnnnnAH! I know your father.

SIMBA [Feeling sorry he had to give such bad news to the old baboon.] I hate to tell you thinks, but my father died a long time ago.

RAFIKI Nope. Wrong again! Ha, heh, heh! He's alive!

[RAFIKI walks toward a thick set of underbrush (JUNGLE FLORA), calling back to SIMBA.]

Come, I'll show him to you. You follow old Rafiki. She knows the way. NOTE: Asante Sana (Song pronunciation) Search Youtube: “Squash Banana The Lion King, English” < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67bOopv0m7U >

ENDLESS NIGHT